Design of co-continuous structure of cellulose/PAA-based alkaline solid polyelectrolyte for flexible zinc-air battery

In order to prepare high ionic conductivity and robust mechanical properties of alkaline solid polyelectrolyte (ASPE) for applications in flexible wearable devices, a co-continuous structure membrane was designed using in-situ polymerization to introduce cross-linked polyacrylic acid (N-PAA) into the cellulose network constructed by regenerated degreasing cotton (RDC). The resultant ASPE membrane showed high ionic conductivity (430 mS·cm-1 at 25 °C), strong mechanical properties, and excellent alkaline stabilities, proving the viability of cellulose for use in energy storage systems. Surprisingly, the sandwich-shaped zinc-air battery assembled using RDC/N-PAA/KOH membranes as electrolytes exhibits superior values of cycling stability, discharge time, specific capacity (731.5 mAh·g-1), peak power density (40.25 mW·cm-2), and mechanical flexibility. Even under bending conditions, the zinc-air batteries still possess stable energy supply performance, suggesting this novel solid polyelectrolyte has promising application for wearable technology.